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The Cold War
The Cold War is a fictional war in the 22nd century depicted in Battlefield 2142 and in its expansion, Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike, fought between the European Union and the Pan-Asian Coalition. It is not to be confused with the Cold War of the 20th century, a series of proxy wars (including the Vietnam War) and political tensions between NATO and Warsaw Pact nations in the period from 1945 to 1991. Background The Cold War is a war that occurred in the 22nd century, starting in October 2139 and ending sometime during or after 2147. The main reason for the outbreak of the war was the onset of a new ice age at the beginning of the 22nd century, which caused vital natural resources to shrink and become scarce. Whilst the European Union had the resources to sustain itself, the Pan-Asian Coalition did not and eventually found no viable options other than taking resources by force.needed Cause The cause of the Cold War was due to power buildup caused by the reaction to the new ice age that began in 2106. The Ice Age, caused by global warming in the last century, created massive snowstorms that froze continental Eurasia from the north, taking over resources and living space. As the land and resources needed to sustain the people drained, nations began to fight for whatever is remaining. As the conflicts escalated, two militarized power camps emerged from the desperate alliances between nations: The European Union, and the Pan-Asian Coalition."In 2106, the world froze. After a hundred years of debate and dissension, the world’s governments were forced to face the reality of global warming—the next Ice Age had arrived. As snow and storms swept down from the north, living space and resources were swallowed by the encroaching ice and a frantic battle for survival began across the globe. Small-scale conflicts bloomed into major confrontations, as desperate nations united to form new superpowers—the European-led EU forces and Russo-Asian PAC army." - Battlefield 2142 Prima Official Game Guide Military Build-Up Tensions between the EU and PAC grew, and a relationship which was already weak was expected to breakdown completely. Prior to 2139, the Coalition would have began a sizable buildup of its armies near to Northern Africa and the EU border, whilst the European Union Military began to fortify the EU-PAC border in Eastern Europe.needed The EU's defensive fortifications consisted of three defensive lines: the Minsk Border Line, which ran north-south in Eastern Europe and passing through Minsk; the Brandenburg Line, which passed north-south through Brandenburg federal state; and the Maginot Wall, which ran north-south through Verdun, France. Multiple strongpoints, mostly cities, existed along and around these three defenses. Each of these lines were designed to hold off any attackers and wear down their numbers. If an attacking force was too strong, then the EU defenders would retreat to the next line. It would appear that the EU did not expect a PAC assault to make it past the Maginot Wall, as there were no further defenses of this sort beyond it.needed The Pan-Asian Coalition would have moved all of its military towards the EU-PAC border, as well as its African border, in preparation for the diversion attacks on Africa.needed Course of War Prelude By early 2138, the world's six superpowers were heavily fortified, ready to lay claim to the world's remaining sustainable land and resources. Though advances in technology had reduced much of the waste and needs of modern populations, it was not enough to contend with the freezing temperatures. Expecting an invasion by the PAC into the now agriculture-rich plains of North Africa, the European Union concentrated its resources along the Mediterranean, ready to assist the Union of African States. A brief foray by two PAC battalions into Egypt seemed to confirm their suspicions, but the attacks were merely decoys, meant to distract the world from the PAC's primary objective, to destroy the military might of the EU's premiere units still left inactive in Europe. Importantly, despite both sides possessing a large arsenal of nuclear warheads, such an attack would never be an option; the objective was to preserve as much land and resources as possible, and the contamination risk of a single detonation was too great.needed The Cold War begins The Battle of Minsk The Cold War began in October 2139 with coordinated PAC invasions from the Persian Gulf to the Baltic Sea. In November, as part of the colossal Operation Canute, three battalions led by General Arkadi Petrov entered Minsk, a key EU command center in Northern Europe and the nearest city on the border. The EU's Krieg Panzer 2nd Regiment fiercely defended the city for over four months until the PAC's elite Central Command Group broke through their southern flank, forcing them to withdraw. The Battle of Minsk featured the first deployment of the militarized Titan in combat operations, changing the nature of modern warfare forever. Because of the Titans unmatched and unexpected effectiveness as both a transport and assault medium, their destruction became a crucial component of military strategy - additional BLOC-3 missile silos were deployed as the only defense against these powerful behemoths, to great effect. At Minsk alone, six full-scale PAC and EU Titans were destroyed within the first week of combat.needed Siege of Belgrade The PAC was quick to move on from their first victory, swiftly pushing towards Germany - the official headquarters of the EU.needed In February 2140, under the cover of the perpetual rain that lashed against the city, the PACs X and II Command Divisions swept through Serbia and trapped the EU 9th Armored Corps in the heart of Belgrade. The massive ice wall blocking its retreat, the EU forces, inspired by General Emil Nikoli, staged a tenacious resistance. In March, the PACs Northern Command Group arrived through recently annexed Bulgaria. Led by a swift, V-shaped formation of T-39 Bogatyr battle walkers, the bolstered PAC forces burst through the EUs eastern flank and forced their surrender. With control of Eastern Europe, the PAC turned its sights to the EUs central command in Berlin.needed The Fall of Berlin Berlin was the capital of the EU and if the PAC could take it, then they would be in a position to quickly drive back the EU resistance. On July 10, 2140, as part of Operation Thunder, fifteen squadrons of PAC gunships wrested control of the skies above eastern Germany. The victory allowed PAC Titans to airdrop entire regiments of the Northern Command Group behind the EUs Brandenburg Line. Surrounded, the EU Expeditionary Force quickly capitulated. The path to Berlin was cleared. On August 15, the PAC waged an all-out offensive on the city. After two months of intense fighting, Berlin fell. The remaining EU forces retreated to France where they would make a last stand before evacuating to North Africa.needed Verdun By the end of 2140, the PAC occupied much of Europe but had yet to gain control of the Mediterranean. Northern France represented a key strategic passage, but it was a narrow one, given the wall of ice that had advanced all the way to the 49th parallel. The PAC sped into Lorraine to find a small but resilient EU company holding a section of the Maginot Wall in Verdun. The A-8 Tiger main battle tank more than held its own against the newer Type 21 Nekomata hover tank, allowing the EU to hold the position for almost a month before a fresh onslaught forced them back. Despite being significantly outnumbered, the EU forces at Verdun were able to severely delay the invading PAC divisions. This effort was due in large part to the EUs unexpected proficiency at infiltrating and destroying PAC Titans before they could distribute troops and supplies to the front lines. Soon, however, the PAC countered and eventually matched these efforts, inflicting similar damage to their EU Titan counterparts.needed The Fall of Europe Walker paving its way through Cerbère.]] By 2142, Cerbère was the last EU stronghold on the European continent. The tiny port served as the chief defensive hub for the EUs Northern Mediterranean operations. Tasked with seizing the harbor, PAC General Yuri Vladomirovic used commando units equipped with the new IT-33 Optical Camouflage to infiltrate the city. Once inside they sabotaged the harbor defenses, allowing the General to land his forces in the main harbor undetected. There they faced the Hell Brigade, the EUs premiere infantry unit, assigned to defend the city. Though the objective of the EU forces was to retreat, the ensuing violence would establish the Cerbère Landing as the most fierce and costly battle of the Cold War.needed African Campaign Following the defeat of the EU army in Europe, the stage was set for the PAC military to force its way into the EU-occupied African mainland. In February, 2142, the EU formed The Mediterranean Wall, a line of defenses along the North African coast from Morocco to Egypt. Meanwhile, the PAC was drawing up a series of deception plans under the codenames Kupalo, Dazhbog and Perun. These exercises were designed to preoccupy and divide the EU forces in preparation for the PAC's primary mission, Operation Motherland, a comprehensive, multi-pronged assault on the African continent.needed The Attack on Camp Gibraltar The attack on Camp Gibraltar was the first deception attack used by the PAC to draw EU forces out of position. Although not of great military significance, the site was an important staging point for refugees from the western Mediterranean territories. On April 10, 2142, the PAC's AA Command Division attacked the camp. The EU's 4th and 5th Armored Battalions had been forewarned about the attack and were stationed at Camp Gibraltar accordingly. PAC troops fought vigorously but conservatively. The EU forces relied on sniper tactics to hold key positions in an attempt to occupy the PAC forces as long as possible. While the firefight lasted several hours with minimal losses, the PAC forces eventually withdrew.needed The Battle of the Suez Canal As the PAC launched diversionary strikes from Italy into North Africa, it secretly gathered forces in the Sinai Peninsula to prepare for a full-scale assault on the continent. On May 1, four PAC Command Divisions flew into Libya to engage in a running battle with the EUs 6th Army Group. This left the 5th Corps at the Suez Canal without support when the Southern Command Group, led by General Muunokhoi, raced into Egypt. To attack the EUs Suez Canal position, the PAC relied on a backup Titan squadron to transport assets into the field of battle. Similarly, the EU employed their own Titan fleet to transfer divisions from other posts in northern Africa. While conflict raged on the ground, a secondary battle ensued in the skies as both sides attempted to thwart the airborne delivery of reinforcements. The EU forces narrowly staved off the efforts Muunokhoi's army until help finally arrived via the 10th Airborne Division. Had the PAC seized the Suez Canal, it would have severely compromised the EUs ability to defend Africa.needed Tunis Harbor In an attempt to stop the flow of EU reinforcements to the Suez Canal, the PAC launched a series of raids against key transportation hubs. The most vital of these targets was Tunis Harbor. Thick fog in the Strait of Sicily allowed the PAC to land its 8th Command Regiment almost on top of the harbor defenses. This strategy enabled them to pin the EU forces in the harbor with the Mediterranean at their backs. The Valkyrie Brigade formed the backbone of the EUs defense with their company of L-5 Reisig Battlewalkers. Though the PAC crippled multiple EU supply ships and made off with several thousand tons of foodstuffs and technology, the EU would maintain control of the harbour.needed Strike at Karkand During the attack on the Suez Canal, the EU discovered a Titan factory that had quietly been established in the city of Karkand to help fuel the PAC war effort on Africa. They quickly assembled a small strike force to take out the factory and end its production of vital Titan equipment. The operation succeeded, but there were still numerous other secret Titan factories in the Mediterranean that threatened the EU.needed The Battle of Shuhia Taiba By the end of 2142, freezing temperatures, mass migration and warfare had rendered most of the PAC's occupied territories near uninhabitable. Desperate to sustain its dwindling population, the PAC changed its military focus to capturing key energy, food and water supplies. Shuhia Tabia, a large-scale, EU agricultural project located in northern Egypt, was one of the PAC's primary targets. On November 11, a fleet of Titans carrying six PAC Command Divisions flew into the skies above Shuhia Tabia. They were immediately greeted by the EUs mobile 2nd Army. The resulting battle raged fruitlessly for more than a year. When the EU and PAC clashed at Shuhia Taiba, both sides utilized more than twenty Titans between them. By the end of fighting a year later, only two remained. Continuous assaults rendered half of the plants capabilities useless by the first month. Years later, covered in hulks of metal carnage, Shuhia Taiba would be referred to as the Titan Graveyard.needed The Assault on Sidi Power Plant In January 2143, the PAC tried to appropriate another key resource target in Egypt, the Sidi Power Plant. The modern but city-sized facility provided more than 40% of the Egyptian populations energy. Each coalition initially depleted of manpower and equipment, the battle began primarily as a ground war. The EU's 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions established three lines of defense, fighting off wave after wave of incursions by PAC Special Forces. In March, armored and airborne divisions arrived for both sides. Within weeks, the fight intensified to become one of the largest and most fervent of the entire war. At first, the PAC utilized its depleted Titan fleet conservatively in its attack on the Sidi Power Station to preserve the facilities assets. Similarly, the EU relegated its armada to primarily non-battle zone transportation duties. Soon, however, the ground war intensified. More air support and delivery was required. Within a month, the skies were again filled with Titans. But the battle quickly turned sour and ended in a stalemate, with PAC seriously crippled and the EU force badly weakened. After nearly two months, the PAC ceased the attack on the station in order to recuperate.needed PAC_SPP.png|A PAC Recon overseeing the battlefield. Walkers SPP.png|An EU L5 Riesig fighting against an incoming PAC T-39 Bogatyr. The Liberation of Europe The war in Africa eventually began to come to a close. Repeated PAC attacks, including endless assaults across the Suez Canal, had failed to break the European armies and the once multi-thousand strong PAC Titan fleet had failed to achieve anything substantial. The situation had evolved in Central Europe, 2145. A few years into the most desperate struggle in the history of mankind, temperatures were dropping fast but war was setting Europe ablaze. With the bulk of the EU army mired in fierce fighting to the south, PAC forces had marched unhindered into the European heartland, seizing the most defensible urban and mountainous positions in anticipation of a potential, if unlikely European retaliation from Africa. After six years under siege, the EU made plans to go on the offensive whilst the PAC was recovering and push them out of Europe.needed Bridge at Remagen The first EU units landed in France in early 2145. As the EU forces advanced through Europe, the frozen Rhine – now an almost impassable barrier of icebergs and crevasses – became an important line of defense once again. On March 7, 2145, exactly 200 years to the day since the U.S. 9th Armored Division crossed the Remagen bridge in World War II, the EU launched a sudden and bold attack across the Rhine in the hope of establishing a foothold on its eastern shores. The brand new A-3 Goliath APC saw combat for the first time during the ensuring battle; leading the way across the bridge to the far side. The small number of PAC Titans present were taken by surprise and brought down, and the PAC defenders quickly surrendered, allowing the EU to push into Germany.needed Port Bavaria on Port Bavaria]] EU commanders in the continent began to split off to focus on separate targets. One of these forces headed towards the French Alps. The Port Bavaria Titan supply base, high up in the mountains, was once a vital stronghold for the EU forces. However, as the war between the PAC and the EU progressed, the European nations had to retreat from the area back during the initial invasion of Europe, leaving the base open for PAC use - the dockyards had now been appropriated by PAC Titans refueling and resupplying after their patrols across North Africa. Now the EU made a determined effort to take back control of the vital link in the PAC Titan supply chain, eventually succeeding and destroying several Titans defending the yard or still in dock. The victory effectively ended the threat of PAC Titans in Western Europe, a monumental achievement for the EU.needed The Liberation of Leipzig as it infiltrates Leipzig]] Gaining new strength from the liberated EU territories, the combined African and European armies swept through Germany, crushing the now disorganized PAC defenders wherever they headed. needed In the late summer of 2145, EU forces had reclaimed most of Western Europe and the heartlands of old East Germany and the state of Saxony lay before them. As the arctic winter drew closer, they staged a night assault on the city of Leipzig, the last stronghold of the PAC forces in Europe. The single Titan that remained over the city was downed by EU commandos and crashed in the city park. A heavily defended canal split the city in two. The EU forces even positioned static pod launchers near the canal to aid their infantry assaults. The resistance in Leipzig took the EU by surprise, as they had had a relatively easy time in the counterattack compared to the beginning of the war.needed Other Engagements Although the primary war zone was in both Europe and Africa during the Cold War, the two sides fought in several other locations throughout the world. The EU was one of the most powerful organisations at the time, second only to PAC, and had a presence as far as the Pacific.needed Middle East Highway Tampa By the 22nd century, the Middle East had mostly conserved its oil supplies. But the EU Forces had set their sights on the expanse in the Arabian Peninsula once known as Highway Tampa after PAC had been defeated in Africa. In a desperate attempt to keep their mechanized divisions operational the EU needed to claim the surviving oil reserves and seize the only remaining harbor from the remaining PAC forces.needed The Pacific Wake Island In 2144, the EU forces established a secret Titan repair and re-armament base on Wake Island with the intent of dividing PAC forces, and their supply lines from the East and West of their location. The construction of the base went undetected until PAC satellites detected military activity in the region and, in response, sent in their forces to put an end to the EU occupation and its plans. A victory for the PAC forces will strengthen their supply route to the frontline, a defeat will cause massive casualties caused by a lack of supplies.needed Wake Island, by 2144, had become a cold, snow-covered island compared to its previous tropical state due to the progression of the Ice Age southwards. It is likely that all of the former PAC residents living on Wake would have left for the warmer south lands of Asia before the EU initial invasion.needed References Category:Wars